


No Regrets

by lifeisadoozy



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alphonso "Mack" Mackenzie Is a Good Bro, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, I have no idea if this is angst or not, Sort of a hurt/comfort friendship with Daisy and Mack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 14:13:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29718390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lifeisadoozy/pseuds/lifeisadoozy
Summary: Daniel blurted it out. No second thoughts. Daisy? She did what she would always do. She ran.
Relationships: Alphonso "Mack" Mackenzie & Skye | Daisy Johnson, Skye | Daisy Johnson/Daniel Sousa
Comments: 20
Kudos: 57





	No Regrets

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sekretny](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sekretny/gifts).



> I keep writing them either falling in love or saying those three words. Anyway, here's for you Aga because you gave me the idea of this entire fic. Also because you got me into writing some angst. I don't know if I like it. But I kinda do. Hope y'all like it.

It was so sudden. He let it slip before he went to get ready for the day. Daisy had barely registered it before the bathroom door closed. She stayed seated on the bed with her mouth hung open, eyes wide, eyebrows raised. Her heart kept beating rapidly. Time must’ve passed quicker than she realized because before she knew it, Daniel had turned off the shower. Her fight and flight response kicked in and she fled from the apartment without a single word. 

Daisy knew she shouldn’t have ran away. She knew Daniel. Inside and out. Literally. And she knew that the last thing he would ever want is to pressure her into saying or doing anything she’s uncomfortable with. But the way he said it to her that morning, it was natural. Like he had said it to her a gazillion times, not just the one. The reason why she bolted the second he was about to step off the shower was clear as day. Because Daniel said he loves her. And those who said that to her had either gotten hurt, or died. If something happened to Daniel, she would lose herself and this time, she might not find her way back home. She needed to clear her head and figure out what to do next. So, she did what she always did. She dove into work. Mission after mission. Fight after fight.

Daniel came out of the shower to find the apartment void of the love of his life. He shouldn’t have said it. It accidentally blurted out of his mouth. He just saw her sitting there looking up at him with her doe eyes and soft smile, and he couldn’t contain himself. He didn’t expect her to say it back at all. But he didn’t expect her to run away either. He’s kicking himself because _maybe_ he shouldn’t have told her. _Maybe_ , if he had held his tongue, she would still be here and they would be blissfully tucked away in their own little bubble. 

*

It’s been a week and he looked like a wreck. Daisy knew because they still worked in the same building. It just so happens that she ran away every time she saw him. Especially when their eyes locked, and her heart kept pounding, begging to burst out of her chest. That one second where she allowed herself to linger on him, before turning on her heels and speed-walked away. 

That night, Daniel went back to their place, which had lost its sense of home, because truly, it’s only home when Daisy’s there, plastered everywhere in the tiny one-bedroom apartment. Her things may still be around. But her usual laptop that sat beside his typewriter was gone. Her toothbrush that leaned onto his had disappeared. Her pajamas that crowded their dresser lost its scent. Daisy used to be all over this apartment. Now? Now it’s laid bare. Most of her stuff was still around. She still had the key to their place, but he guessed that she would come by whenever he’s at work. Each day he came home, a piece of his home went missing. And tonight? Even with her things still around, it’s too quiet to be home. The lavender that would fill the room with its calmness had dissipated. And Daniel found himself standing in the middle of the storm. 

He packed up all of his stuff. He knew that she must’ve crashed at Mack and Elena’s house. And she deserved to live in the comfort of her own home. To have her own space. So, he decided to give her the apartment. He called Mack and arranged to have his things moved to the bunk at HQ, and some would be held in a storage room in the basement. 

*

Those two idiots had been miserable and alone for the past two weeks and Mack couldn’t help it anymore. He had nudged them together once before, he would do it again in a heartbeat. 

“Hey Mack. When will Yo-Yo be back from her mission?” Daisy asked her big brother while sitting on the couch munching on Mint Chip ice cream. One that Mack knew she would only have when she was wallowing in despair. 

“She’ll be back tomorrow.” Mack looked her over. She’s not looking better than Sousa. Those eye bags were getting darker and darker while her hair was left unkempt. “Why don’t you go back to your apartment tomorrow? All your clothes are still being washed and that apartment of yours might get dusty.” He hinted as he sat down beside her.

“What—you trying to get rid of me already?” She raised her eyebrow trying to tease him but it fell flat. She sighed. “I know. I’m crashing on your couch and probably imposing on you. But I can’t go back there, Mack. I’m not ready to face him.”

“Tremors.” He paused. Trying to gauge a reaction other than a blank look. “Go back to your apartment.”

“I can’t.” Her facade broke. An anguished cry escaped her lips. “He wouldn’t want to see me anyways.” She whispered. Heartbroken. “I messed up.” 

Mack put on his best May impression and steeled himself. “Daisy. You need to find Sousa. Get your head out of your ass and make things right.” 

Daisy shook her head vigorously. “I-I can’t, Mack.” She inhaled shakily. “He-he’s better off without me.”

“Better off without you?” Mack looked at her incredulously. “That man is head over heels in love with you.” 

“And he told me!” She said loudly. “He told me.” She muttered.

“About time.” He raised his eyebrows. “Is that why you’re crashing on my couch?” Daisy failed to tell him the reason why she wasn’t in her apartment. 

“You _know_ that everywhere I go, everyone I meet, they would just _leave_.” 

“So you left instead.” He made a statement. One that rang true. Daisy stilled. “You leave so wouldn’t be left.” 

“I don't want him to die.” She admittedly whispered. Mack was about to interject, but Daisy continued. “Everyone I love, died, Mack. Coulson. May. Fitz. _Lincoln._ They die. I don’t want him to die.” 

“Sousa’s not Lincoln, Daisy. If he had any say in it, he would _never_ leave you. Or hurt you.” He assured her.

“But he _did_. Mack, he _died_.” She said in agony. 

“I’m pretty sure he’s alive and well.” Curiosity seeped through his voice.

Daisy closed her eyes. Flashes of blood sprouting out of Daniel’s mouth. The sound of him being injected. His strangled cry for help. The way his eyes widened in fear. Her calling out his name. Praying that the loop would reset. 

She shook her head once more. “He died.”

“Daisy, he’s alive. Breathing. Be it a little bit ragged, but I promise he’s alive.” Mack looked at her in concern. “What is this _really_ about? Because if you want to be in a relationship, Daisy, you have to trust that he’s not going anywhere.” He paused. Giving her time to let that sink in. “But how can he stay if you’re the one who ran away?” 

Mack stood up from the couch, leaving Daisy alone with her thoughts. He had said enough that left her questioning what she did. And hopefully, she would make things right. 

Daisy, however, was staring down at her wringing hands. Mack’s right. She was being immature. What was she doing? Running away like that? They had something _good_. Something completely irrational yet made complete logical sense. And she was ready to just throw it all away? 

Her eyes snapped shut. And her mind swirled. Images of Daniel sat up with blood all over his blue shirt while his eyes were lifeless. She could feel her own heart breaking when his stopped beating. The scene turned into the bar. He was holding her hands, ready to leave her just like everyone else was going to. 

She took a deep breath. No. _No_. She’s not going to let her past dictate her future. She’s done with _prophecies_. Of other people telling her what she should and shouldn’t do. Of people stopping and preventing her from doing what must be done. Daniel never really did those things. He would nudge a plate of food when she was too busy with paperwork, slid some tea or coffee when she was working herself to the ground, and opened his arms for her to crawl into after a particularly hard mission. The warmth of his body pressed against hers would lull her to sleep within a matter of minutes. 

Feeling determined to actually _talk_ to Daniel and not just freeze up then sprinting away, Daisy sighed before getting herself ready to sleep. 

Just like every night since she left, sleep didn’t come easily to her. She tossed and turned trying to find that one comfortable spot to drift off in. Next came the nightmares. Sometimes she’s reliving the moment Lincoln died. The way static was the only thing she could hear. Sometimes it was Coulson’s slow and impending death where she wasn’t there for. Sometimes it’s Jiaying, sucking the life out of Malick before her neck cracked and her body fell onto the ground with a thud.

But most of the time it’s Daniel. Daniel, who would grab that damned scanner so she didn’t have to die. Daniel, who would stay behind in the 80s so her family didn’t have to separate from each other. Daniel, who carried her out of that _stupid_ barn. All of those happened. They’re real. Yet, the worst of the worst would be all the what ifs. What if Malick experimented on Daniel instead of her? What if the time loops suddenly stopped right when Daniel died? What if Daniel _did_ stay behind in the 80s? 

She wanted sleep to be where she could escape her predicaments. Where none of her past traumas mattered. Except instead of dreams that floated into her mind, nightmares drowned her instead. Nightmares that reminded her why she ran. The words _everywhere you go, death follows_ echoed from a distance. 

The next morning, Daisy was up before dawn. She quickly freshened up before making coffee for herself and Mack, wrote a short note, placing it on the kitchen counter right beside the coffee pot and left the house. 

Right when she was about to knock at her and Daniel’s apartment, she hesitated. She had her keys with her but it felt like barging into somebody else’s home if she used it. So, she braced herself, and knocked. 

No reply.

She knocked once more.

Still nothing. 

She’s getting worried. What if something happened? What if it got to him? What if _she_ had gotten to him? This is it. The final straw before she would truly break. If something did happen to Daniel, she knew she couldn’t recover. She quickly took out the key and fumbled it into the lock. Once she twisted it and heard a _click_ , she pushed the door wide open. 

Their home was slightly dusty. She walked throughout the apartment to find Daniel but he wasn’t there. In fact, nothing of his was there. His typewriter, gone. His record player, gone. His notebook, gone. And all she could feel was heartache. It was as if someone grasped her heart between their fingers and squashed it slowly until it burst. Then, she realized that yes, she’s in love with him. But she was afraid that she’s too late. He left. He upped himself and his things, and left. He left her. _He left her_. 

She shook her head. Maybe she was a fool to expect that he’d be laying around waiting for her to come back. With a heavy sigh, she looked around their home one last time before going to work. 

Shortly after she arrived at HQ, she bumped into Daniel. He was expecting her to run like she used to. But instead, her eyes were filled with unshed tears. 

“You moved.” Daisy blurted out.

Daniel, with his ruffled hair and red-rimmed eyes, from the lack of a peaceful sleep, stood there, shell-shocked. When he spoke, his voice cracked as if he hadn’t spoken in so long. And the truth was, he hadn’t. He had been taking orders and doing them without any reply. 

“Yes. I did.” He blankly stated.

“Why?” She asked.

“You’re not there.” He answered, straightforwardly. He paused. Looked into her eyes to see if she really wanted honesty. An expression that she wore back in the time-loops when she was about to hear that jaw dropping speech. Then, he continued. “It doesn’t feel like home anymore.”

Daisy was left gaping. Then, she turned around and ran away. But not before hearing a dejected sigh that left Daniel’s lips. She saw the way his mouth opened, just about ready to give her a speech. But she knew that the difference between now and the time loops, was that if she had said the wrong thing, done the wrong thing, nothing would reset. And she’s afraid to take that leap of faith. 

Daisy ran and turned left on the first corridor. She halted. Back to the wall, her breathing, laboured. She closed her eyes, opened them, and peeked from the side. She saw Daniel standing there, staring into the space that she occupied in before bolting. He reached out his hand as if he was trying to grasp onto her shadow. He shook himself out of his reverie and turned on his heels. Daisy was then reminded of what Mack told her. 

_Because if you want to be in a relationship, Daisy, you have to trust that he’s not going anywhere. But how can he stay if you’re the one who ran away?_

She took a sharp breath and walked out to go after him. He didn’t know she was going after him. He picked up his pace towards his bunk because he didn’t want anyone to see him in this state. Lost. Empty. Guilty. He ran his hands through his hair over and over again. His curls were getting more ruffled with every swipe. His head bowed down as he walked closer towards his bunk. Once he closed the door behind him, he took 2 steps before sitting down on the edge of his bed. His eyes were fixed on the bare wall in front of him. He could vaguely see his table through his peripheral view. Boxes scattered underneath the table. His dresser sat beside the door. But nothing’s in it. His clothes were inside the box that sat on top of the dresser. But his surroundings were blurred. His mind was elsewhere. 

Meanwhile, Daisy lost track of him. She wandered the halls of HQ but didn’t know where he was. So, she called Mack. Asked him where Daniel might’ve gone. Mack, glad that Daisy’s trying, immediately told her that Daniel moved into the bunk in the West Wing. She thanked him and ended the call. 

On the other end of the line, Mack whispered, “Go get him, Tremors.” 

Daisy treaded towards Daniel’s bunk. She grew even more nervous with each step. Her hands wouldn’t stop curling into fists before flexing back out and curled into fists again. She kept repeating it until she stood in front of his door. She brought her fist onto his door. Right as her knuckles were about to hit the door, the what ifs came through her mind again. But she forced herself to shake away those thoughts. She couldn’t run away. Not again. She quickly knocked before she chickened out.

“Come in.” He croaked. He was still hazy and his emotions were all over the place.

Daisy walked in slowly. She saw the state he was in and she was filled to the brim with guilt. Daniel craned his neck towards her and peered into her soul. He saw his own guilt reflected back at him from her eyes. He stood up abruptly, body angled towards her. His lips parted. Trying to find his voice. But Daisy launched herself into him and her arms held him tight.

“I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry.” She whispered against his neck. 

“It’s not your fault, sweetheart. _I’m_ sorry.” He whispered into her hair. The familiar scent of roses calmed him.

She pulled away from him with a confused look on her face. “Why are you sorry?” 

“Because I told you I love you when I thought you were ready to hear it. But you weren’t.” He said. Then, he snapped his eyes shut. “And that’s on me.”

She placed her hands on his chest and pressed on it to push him away just a little, so she could look at him properly. “Are-are you sorry that you said it?” She said. Her eyes were wide. Afraid. Afraid whether he’d say yes or no. She wasn’t sure which would be better. 

Daniel tilted his head to look at her. “No.” He said firmly. “Because it’s the truth. And I don’t expect you to say it back. Or even to feel it now.” His hands rose to caress her cheek.

“I-I want to say it. I-I think I feel it. But Daniel. You know what happened to the people I love. To the people who loved me. I don’t want to—to condemn you to that fate.” Daisy pulled away from his touch as if it burned her. 

“I thought you didn’t believe in fate.” Daniel replied with an empty humour. There was no teasing glint. His voice was flat and his eyes were blank. 

Daisy softened her gaze. “I don’t. Not until I met you.” She sighed. “I can’t lose anyone else.” Her mind replayed the way he gurgled his own blood. The way he slid down onto the ground. The way she felt helpless. She shook her head with her eyes closed before opening them back up. “Especially you.” 

Daniel blinked. Now they were getting somewhere. “I can’t promise you that. But I can promise to try. I can’t lose anyone else either. I can’t _ever_ lose you.” He gestured to his bunk. It was filled with boxes, a bed, a dresser and a table. There were no pictures hung on the walls. His typewriter and record player nowhere to be found. “In the split second that I’ve lost you, I lost a home. I became—I became _empty_. I don’t want to feel that way anymore.” 

Daisy looked around the room and found a tiny little piece of paper on the table. Her eyes darted back to Daniel. Then, she passed by him and took that piece of paper into her hands. It’s a picture of the two of them. It’s the very first selfie they took on his phone. “You-you printed this?” 

He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. “I thought I’d never—we’d never be together again.”

Daisy looked up at him with an incredulous expression. “You thought I had walked away for good? That I had _really_ walked away from _us_?”

Daniel furrowed his eyebrows. “I—No. I—”

“You thought I could never love you.” Daisy’s voice wavered. She was mad. She was furious but she didn’t want to lash out. She was eerily mad. The kind where she just wanted answers. The kind where she didn’t understand whether she was mad at him for thinking that she would forever be out of his reach, or at her, for running away (or maybe for falling for him in the first place). Maybe a little bit of both.

Daniel shook his head. “I didn’t say that.” He denied. 

“But you thought it, didn’t you?” Daisy accused him. 

“It was just a fleeting thought.” He pressed.

“But you did.” She swallowed. Her voice thickened. “Why? Be-because you thought I’m still, what? In love with Lincoln?” Daisy’s hurt. How could he think that? How could he think that she was still in love with a ghost? “Why?” She demanded.

“Why?” Daniel echoed.

“You didn’t deny it. Why do you think that I’m still in love with him?”

“Because you might be. I—look, it’s okay if you are. I-I’m coming to terms with it. It’s okay.” Daniel shrugged, as if he had surrendered his own heart to be crushed by her. And he _is_ okay with it. _He is okay with it._ _He is okay with it._ He repeated the sentence like a mantra.

“It’s not okay.” Daisy rapidly shook her head. “That’s not okay. And what, you still want to be with me even if I’m in love with someone who’s dead?”

“You told me you’ve moved on.” He took a deep breath. “I don’t know if you have. I can’t read minds.” His poor attempt of a joke brought a twitch to her lips. “But I want to believe that you are moving on.” 

“So you’re just fine with me _using_ you as a rebound?” 

Daniel sent her a soft but tired smile. “I don’t mind.”

“Wh—you’re insane.”

“I’m not.” He’s not. He’s a man in love with a woman that might be in love with someone else. It happens. It _did_ happen. And even though that _particular_ relationship ended, it was because they couldn’t make it work. And if there’s a chance, a small bit of chance that Daisy could fall for him, even if it would take a dozen years, or maybe more, even if she couldn’t, he’s in love with her. It’s not fair, sure. But not being with her? Not being in love with her? That just felt downright impossible. 

“So you’re just _okay_ with it? You’re okay with me being in love with someone else?” She raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

“I—Daisy, it’s—”

“How can you be okay with that? If you love me—”

“I do.” He interjected. Daisy's eyes bulged out as she let out a shocking breath. “I do.” He confirmed.

“Then how can you—”

“With experience comes—” He paused. “—a shit tonne of voices in my head that tells me I’ll never be good enough.” He muttered.

“Experience?” She tilted her head to the side, puzzled.

“The war. I came home and people started to look at me differently. The voices started getting louder. I lost my leg and—” He sighed heavily and sat down on the foot of the bed. “Then everything with Peggy and it just kept—”

“I’m not Peggy, Daniel.”

“I know you’re not.” Daniel’s lips lifted up to form a small smile. “You’re Daisy Johnson. _Quake_. The Destroyer of Worlds.” He puffed out his chest slightly. Something bloomed in Daisy. He’s proud of her, she realized. Even with the destruction and death that constantly surrounded her, he was still _proud_ of her. “But mainly, you’re the woman that I—” He bit himself back.

Daisy came to sit next to him. She reached out and held his hand. “I’m the woman that you—what, Daniel?” She whispered.

Daniel turned to look at her. Their faces, inches apart. He could see the dark brown of her eyes sprinkled with speckles of gold. “You’re the woman that I love, Daisy.” He murmured.

“Yeah?” She bobbed her head. “Are you sure you want—” She gestured to all the space around them. “—all of this?” 

“I want it all if it’s with you, sweetheart. Mess or not.” Daniel said softly. 

Daisy took another deep breath. “Good. Good.” She raised her other hand that’s not clutching his, and cradled his face. 

Daniel immediately closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. Those worried wrinkles of his were smoothed out. For the first time in two weeks, he looked content. And Daisy was happy that he’s happy. He snuck up on her. It wasn’t as if lightning strikes, it was as if she was floating on air and it crept up from beneath her to hold her up. Making sure she stayed up. Making sure that if she falls, he would be there ready to catch her and pick her back up again.

She smiled fondly. _No regrets_ , she told herself. “Because you’re the man I’m in love with.” She breathed out.

He snapped his eyes open and looked into hers. All he saw was honesty, vulnerability, and _love._ She loves him. She’s in love with him. It had been awhile since she saw him fazed. _This_ became her favourite. With his mouth hung slightly open, eyebrows raised, and eyes dancing, she knew she’s screwed. Because she’s in love with this dorky square and she completely adores the feeling of it 

Daniel was baffled. She caught him by surprise time and time again. “You-you love me?” He asked. Still in awe of it all. 

“Mmhmm.” She nodded. “I’ve never been more sure about anything else in my life.” 

He surged forward and captured her lips in his. They had missed this. Being intimate with one another. Being there for each other. And just being in love.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
